The Effects of Gender Stereotypes for Structure Mapping in Mathematics

Kreshnik Begolli, Temple University

Brooke Herd, University of California, Irvine

Hannah Sayonno, University of California, Irvine

Susanne Jaeggi, University of California, Irvine

Lindsey Richland, University of Chicago

Abstract

Fear of a negative stereotype about one’s performance can
lead to temporary underperformance on tests; e.g. women may underperform on a
math test when prompted to think about gender. The current study extends this
literature to examine whether stereotype threat not only leads to
underperformance on tests, but also may impact reasoning and learning more
broadly. We focus in particular on the effects of stereotype threat on analogical
learning, a complex reasoning process that imposes a high working memory load.
In this study, we examined the effects of gender stereotypes when females were
asked to learn by comparing the mathematical concepts of combinations and
permutations. Overall, participants given a threat before learning gained less
from the instruction, as reflected by assessments administered immediately after
the lesson and after a 1-week delay. This could lead to systematic differences in
the quality of abstract representational knowledge for individuals from
negatively stereotyped groups.